A playback show by Yours Truly Theatre.
Lights, camera, action! Usually, these are cues given by a director. But what if the audience calls the shots? Here’s a chance to take over the director’s mantle and suggest some ideas to a troupe to enact for you, unrehearsed!
Known as playback theatre, this genre is finding many takers in the city, and audiences love it!
What is playback theatre?
Also known as improvisational theatre, this is actor-audience interaction at its best. Barely around for 40 years, it is a rage across the world now. USA is known to have the maximum number of playback troupes in the world and now, other countries are following suit. Walk into any renowned theatre company in Bengaluru and you will find a course offered in this genre.
If you’re a big fan of Whose Line Is It Anyway?, then playback theatre might just be your thing. It is based on impromptu comedy and several stand-up acts and plays are being centred around this style. In Bengaluru, almost every theatre company teaches this form, and even bring down experts from other countries to conduct workshops.
Renowned colleges like NLS, IIM, Christ University, RVCE, NGOs like Spastics Society of Karnataka, National Academy for Blind have regular programmes and workshops with playback actors. Several corporates like Nokia and Puma too have had workshops for team building exercises and interactions. The scope is mostly personal and what makes this form stand out is that it doesn’t lend a tag of exclusivity.
Theatre artiste Namrta Dhar says, “This is one genre I dare not try in front of an audience if I’m not 100 percent sure of what I’m doing. It requires presence of mind, oodles of confidence and sensitivity. It’s certainly a challenging theatrical pursuit.”
The activists
* Nandini Rao: Hailing from the Prabhath family (an old family of fine arts) acting runs in her blood — and she has more than a decade of experience. Having co-established Yours Truly Theatre, she has 300 impromptu shows to her credit, “One must distance oneself from emotions conveyed by an audience. Playback has healed people worldover.”
* Sumit Acharya: “Spontaneity is my middle name,” claims this software engineer who has juggled work and theatre for seven years. Sumit has done over 200 shows (IIT Mumbai, IIT Delhi, SIMC Pune, NLS, National Academy for Blind, etc). “During a festival, someone spoke about how an actor disappeared before the finale. We enacted the same and it was so funny!”
* Ranji David: “In playback theatre, there is no such thing as preparation. You must have immense confidence.” That’s Ranji David, with over 200 shows, with 13 years of experience. He still gets a wave of excitement before a show. His latest project is based on elements like light, costume, etc. “The only answer to perfecting the art is practice, exposure and experience.”
* Ameet Bhuvan: When he walked into an auditorium to watch a play, little did this 28-year-old manager realise his outlook was about to change forever. “My story was enacted on stage and I was awestruck by how the actors effortlessly reproduced myriad emotions so close to my own experience.” He is a common face at many local playback shows in colleges, schools and NGOs.
* Vishal Bhandary: Media consultant Vishal loves storytelling and playback was the answer to his childhood passion. Interactive theatre is used for therapy and community service, and this struck a chord with Vishal. “This is a modern storytelling format which instantly strikes a connection with the people. The best part is we act without a script so each show is varied.”
Beyond borders
The following programmes have been held across the city to promote playback theatre:
Bangaloraholic
A tribute to the essence of a city which has a quaint charm to it. This programme had old Bengalureans, youngsters, expats and immigrants — who narrated various experiences about the city and they were enacted by the actors.
Relive 1947
To mark the 55th Independence Day, theatre artistes invited freedom fighters, participants of the freedom struggle, youngsters and asked each person to give them examples of modern India.
Wake Up India
In association with the Jaago Re campaign, this was an attempt to make the people reflect on how the country has changed in various aspects. Politicians, artists, defence personnel and college students were made to narrate experiences
source: http://www.DeccanChronicle.com / Home> Tabloid> Bengaluru / by Sindhuja Balaji / DC / Bengaluru, February 27th, 2012